Welcome to Happy Hours & Hikes #004

For any new subscribers, Los Angeles is home to over 10,000 restaurants and over 600 marked miles of hiking trails. My wife and I are embarking on a passion project to document a range of each, but with a simple caveat for restaurants, they must have a happy hour menu. For more info on air quality, please see our previous post HH&H #003. Stay safe and informed L.A.!

Happy Hours

The Chestnut Club

The Chestnut Club is situated just off of 14th St. in Santa Monica, before the entrance to Bludso’s BBQ. For a low-key vibe, beautiful inside space, and very solid music, it’s a cozy way to spend a couple hours on the Westside. A special shoutout to my friend PB who was able to join for this excursion while my wife was away on business.

HH&H Recommendation: Burrata Crostini

Michael’s

Michael’s Santa Monica has been a westside institution for the past 46 years. Chef Michael McCarty was an early pioneer of farm to table California dining and opened this restaurant at just 25 years old. Although less than a block away from the hustle and bustle of Third Street Promenade, Michael’s feels tucked away. The dimly lit dining room is filled with modern art and there is a lush back garden with additional seating.

Dinner is quite pricey, so Happy Hour is the way to go. The Happy Hour is available outside and at the inviting patio bar — the sidewalk seating makes it feel very Parisian. Boisterous Michael often holds court in the outdoor area, with a glass of whiskey in hand. He will warmly greet you, introduce himself, and you will instantly feel like a regular! Happy Hour features select small plates, cocktails ($12), wine ($10) and beer ($7). We enjoyed the high waisted cocktail, house rosé, tuna tartar tacos and sliders: Stop by and tell Michael we sent you!

Hikes

Culver City Park to Kenneth Hahn Loop

More commonly known as Park to Playa trail is a must for any residents or tourists of L.A. From a rock wall to frolf to a fishing pond, this park really has something for everyone. Per AllTrails, Culver City Park to Kenneth Hahn Loop is a Moderate 7.5 miles hike with 1,167 ft of elevation. We didn’t end up doing the whole loop with Garmin Connect ending with 6.45 miles, 1,014 ft ascent, and 2:47:00 total time. Parking was easy, but this could vary significantly depending on where you enter the loop.

Finally, we sincerely hope that you’ll consider giving directly to GoFundMe initiatives that we shared in our previous newsletters: Moonshadows Malibu and The Little Red Hen Coffee Shop. You can also donate directly to the LAFD Foundation here.

As this is our first attempt curating a newsletter, we’ll be aiming to publish twice a month on Thursdays in 2025, and we are always open to comments, feedback, and questions!

We love L.A.

J + L